Harvester
by Listy
Summary: The routine exploration of a planet goes horribly wrong, when Sheppard's curiosity gets the better of him. Shep Whump
1. Chapter 1

_I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of its Characters, this is just for fun and I will return them all in good order._

_I am very new to the world of fic writing and have a lot to learn so any comments, reviews or const.crit will be welcomed. I want to learn. I also don't have any medical training so any reference to medical situations, equipment and treatment may be inaccurate._

_Many thanks to my beta Lauriel. She has taught me so much and although I have so much still to learn, I feel confident enough to post. So for that I am very grateful._

**Harvester**

**Chapter One**

The team stepped through the gate. Sheppard took point, P90 raised and fully alert for any possible danger.

"Atlantis this is Sheppard, we are clear. We're, gonna take a look around for the energy signal Rodney has found."

"Ok, stay safe." Elizabeth gave the order and the gate shut down.

"The energy signal I am reading keeps spiking. It seems to be giving off conflicting readings. At first I thought it wasn't strong enough to be anything of importance, but if the levels are correct on the spikes, then this could actually be a ZPM or something equally as powerful. Admittedly if the power is fluctuating, it could be for any number of reasons; it may be depleted or malfunctioning. It's definitely worth investigating and its three miles that way." pointed McKay, not looking up from his scanning equipment. He wandered in the general direction he had pointed, without looking where he was walking. Sheppard grabbed him seconds before he fell into a ditch.

"How about you actually look where we're going? If you get hurt I am not going for help and I doubt Ronon will carry you!" Sheppard joked, but there was a hint of seriousness behind the bravado. They had had too many injuries lately and he wasn't keen for another one. For once it would be nice to complete a mission without any of his team needing any type of medical intervention.

They headed off as a group. The planet didn't look anything out of the ordinary, it was pretty similar to the other handful of planets they had done reconnaissance on over the past few weeks. But yet again they found themselves heading off in the slightest hope of finding an extra ZPM - after all they come in handy sometimes.

As they entered the town, people eyed them suspiciously, but no one seemed to be too disturbed by the arrival of the four strangers. They wandered around smiling politely, looking for someone who may be able to help them in their search or point them in the direction of a town official. A small boy wandered over to McKay and stood staring open mouthed. He didn't look more than eight years old.

"What?" Rodney asked, a little more forcefully than he had meant, but he never did like children.

"You came through the Wraith portal?" he asked, completely un-phased by McKay's harsh tone.

"Er, I guess we did... Where are your parents?"

"Around, it's not a lesson day I can play all I want and don't have to go home until dusk!" He said proudly, looking to McKay for some recognition of the fact he was old enough not to be under constant supervision like the younger children.

"Ok…. so where are the people in charge? I hope this isn't some messed up town where the kids are the boss 'cause let me tell you been there, done that... Oh what the hell? Take me to your leader!"" McKay asked, exasperated by the boldness of the annoying child in front of him. Hopefully they could gain some information from someone other than a midget. He hoped never to see a repeat of the hierarchy on M7G-677.

"In the Gathering Hall. I will take you. My name is Gelden." The child stated matter-of-factly. Gelden grabbed McKay's arm and started off past the rest of the team. Sheppard smirked and fell in behind them. He knew McKay would just be loving this; he had such a way with children. If only for the sake of expediency, he uncharacteristically decided against sharing one of the many smart comments flying around inside his head, eating away at him to be let loose. They headed deeper into the built up part of town. McKay was starting to wonder if this kid was messing with him, leading them off on some wild goose chase just because he was bored it not being a "lesson day". God he hated kids. Never trust anyone who is too young to drink coffee.

McKay was about to give up and berate the child for wasting his time, but they eventually came across a square with a small, rather feeble looking monument in the middle. It was nothing special, made out of some kind metal which appeared to be similar to stainless steal in the fact it didn't rust but had a strange blue tinge to its colouring. McKay eyed the monument suspiciously but his eyes lit up when his readings pointed him to it. He started to walk towards it only to have Gelden cling to his arm and attempt to drag him back.

"Let go you little gnome, this is grown up time and us grown ups need to take a look at the ugly blue monument." Subtlety was not one of Rodney's strong points.

"You must not touch the monument, it is forbidden. It is one of our laws." Gelden was looking from McKay to Sheppard, as if hoping Sheppard would intervene and stop Rodney from touching the monument. Gelden didn't want to get into trouble with the council, and if they found out that he had brought the man who broke the law to the town he was doomed.

"Ok McKay, leave it for now, let's see if we can find someone a bit more... mature who can explain how strict these laws are. They might just be guidelines to keep the kids in check." Sheppard thought it best that they really didn't break any major laws and cause some galactic war - those things never worked out too well.

Sheppard looked around; to the right of the monument seemed to be some kind of town hall. Gelden dragged McKay towards the town hall, then stopped.

"Children are not allowed in the Gathering Hall. I must go home, it will be dark soon and it is Harvest." Gelden looked slightly worried and ran away down a side street. Sheppard thought Gelden's comment and demeanour a little odd, but put it down to the fact Gelden probably had an over-protective mother, who hen pecked and scolded tardiness. After all, a boy of around eight really shouldn't be out alone after dark. Sheppard tucked away his concerns, feeling he was just being overly cautious; he took his responsibility of keeping his team safe seriously.

The town looked pretty average, not dissimilar to the technology level of earth. Sheppard started to consider that maybe even if the ZPM turned out to be a dead end, they could make good allies and maybe forge some kind of trade agreement. He should set down the ground work and speak to Elizabeth about her visiting to put her negotiating skills to good use.

As they entered the Gathering Hall a sea of faces turned to appraise the off-worlders who stood before them. Sheppard started to feel a little uncomfortable. He fixed his face into his best smile and tried to look unthreatening (P90 and Ronon aside). Eventually a young woman cut her way through the crowd towards them and introduced herself as Halina. She was tall and slim with long, dark hair. As she approached the group she swept a few of the curly tendrils out of her eyes, revealing olive skin, and vibrant green eyes, warm and friendly.

Halina was head of the town council and well respected amongst the people. She was the youngest council member but emanated an air of confidence that commanded understanding and respect. They chatted for a while, everyone being polite skirting around issues introducing themselves, but no one getting down to business and admitting what they were here for. Sheppard had decided to take the diplomatic route and try and not only gain information about a possible ZPM but gain a few friends along the way.

Halina organised for food and refreshments to be brought. After checking for the presence of citrus, or anything else, which would cause McKay to become ill and moan them all to death, they all sat down to enjoy the meal. Finally after a few random stares, winks, nods and finally arm waves from McKay, Sheppard broached the subject of why they where here.

"Halina, you know how I told you we are explorers, and we travel to many worlds? Well one of the reasons we travel to many worlds is that we are searching for... artifacts... left behind by the Ancients. Have you heard off them?"

"Ancients? No I have not"

"Well we noticed that the monument in the town square may be an artifact left behind by the Ancients. Maybe they visited here many years ago. We'd like to have a look at it; we found power readings when we first arrived which are of great interest to us. Do you know how the monument came to be placed here?"

"The monument has always been there, it was left behind by the portal builder's. You must not touch it, it is forbidden to touch the monument. No one goes near it, people fear it. When I was small they used to tell me that people disappeared after touching it. You must stay away. Why are you interested in these power readings?"

"Er…like I said we are just explorers and thought it might be interesting to check it out. We could learn a lot from it." John did not want to force the issue too soon. "We better be heading back, we are expected to return home soon. Would you mind if we returned tomorrow with some more people to take a look around?" Sheppard asked hopefully, not wanting to give too much information away. He could see McKay out of the corner of his eye getting more and more irritated and impatient.

"You must stay. We would be happy to offer you lodgings for the evening. It is too late for you to return to the wraith portal, the town is not safe at this time of year after dark and the path can be treacherous if you are not familiar with it." Remarked Halina.

"Wait, why is it not safe? Gelden the boy who brought us to you mentioned something about Harvest?" Teyla asked, getting a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Would you like more tea?" Halina asked, changing the subject and not meeting Teyla's eyes. "We have few rules here, but there are two which are of great importance. While in the season of Harvest we do not venture far from our homes after dark, and the monument you speak of in the town square earlier is never to be touched. The penalty is severe. If you follow these rules you are free to look around our town, we are very proud of what we have achieved." continued Halina, evading Teyla's question.

Rodney glanced at Sheppard; he had been itching to take a look at that monument since he saw the energy spike on his scanner. Sheppard knew exactly what Rodney wanted but was cautious. From past experience things didn't always work out too well for them when Rodney wandered off touching sacred monuments and Sheppard usually ended up paying for those mistakes. He decided that maybe it wouldn't hurt to stay the night, it might even help the trade negotiations. Atlantis was due to dial in for a radio check in fifteen minutes.

Once radio contact was made, Sheppard explained the situation to Elizabeth. She agreed with the sleepover on the condition that they did not partake in any of the planets alcohol or other substances, they where representatives of Atlantis and should ensure that nothing hurt the potential for trade relations. Elizabeth and a team of Scientists would come through the gate at 0900 hours in the morning and Ronon and Teyla would meet them and escort them to the town. With that Sheppard signed off and returned to the meal.

Once they had finished their meal they were shown to their accommodation for the evening. It was a small but comfortable house, which Halina explained was frequently used to accommodate diplomats from neighbouring towns when trade negotiations where occurring. Sheppard perked up; if things went well there was also the potential for trade with neighbouring towns. This could solve the constant food problems Atlantis had. McKay and Ronon where eating them out of house and home. Sheppard waited until Halina had left, she had again warned them not to stray far from the house. He picked up his P90.

"Where are you going?" demanded Rodney

"Not far, just gonna check out that monument. I will be back in 10 minutes." Sheppard grinned as he started to head for the door.

"Well I'm coming with you. I need to see what the energy readings are." Rodney went to pick up his pack.

"No you won't. I am just gonna have a look check if it's safe. Something is not right here, call it a gut feeling but Halina is hiding something, and I don't want to have to watch your back as well as mine - and let's face it Rodney, you don't have a good record when it comes to touching things you are not supposed to." Sheppard slipped out of the door and was gone before McKay could respond.

McKay proceeded to sit down in the corner of the room on an uncomfortable looking chair to sulk and mumbled something that neither Ronon nor Teyla could make out. They left him to it and decided the room was spacious enough to enjoy some light sparring. They thought it a good way to occupy their time until Sheppard returned. Neither of them admitted it to McKay but they where equally as unhappy with Sheppard going alone, for very different reasons to Rodney. They agreed with the Colonel that something didn't feel right but they couldn't quite put their finger on it. They needed to find out more about this Harvest Season, but Halina seemed unwilling to elaborate.

oOo

Sheppard slipped easily from the building and out into the street, it wasn't far to the town square and he kept to the shadows. The streets where empty except for what looked like a few vagrants, huddled in door ways; everyone obviously stuck to the rules, but he carried on, deciding he could handle himself and be back before anyone even realised he was gone.

As he rounded the corner to the square he could see the monument in front of him. He headed straight for it, checking around as he went, making sure no one was around to see him breaking rules before they had even begun negotiations. If Elizabeth knew what he was up to he would be in serious trouble, but he couldn't just sit in the house waiting for daybreak. He had too much energy, whatever was in the refreshments Halina had given them was like Espresso and his body was buzzing with unspent energy. McKay had been ecstatic at the drink and had mentioned to Sheppard at least five times that it was to be a priority for Elizabeth to negotiate for it. He apparently needed it more than life itself. His mind was working overtime; he could really go for a run around Atlantis with Ronon right now.

As he got close to the monument he could see that although it was small and simple, it looked to have characteristics similar to the Ancient designs on Atlantis. His mind wandered slightly and the monument powered up, without him realising he had done it. He quickly thought 'off' and it powered down immediately. Yep definitely ancient, McKay will want to get his hands on this. Sheppard fought the urge to go and touch it. Not knowing what it actually was, it didn't seem the smartest thing to just wander up and grab hold of it. He looked around to make sure no one had been around to see him activate the device. He didn't think it would bode well for their party if a local saw him messing with their monument, whether he was touching it or not. The square was empty and from what he could see the side streets looked deserted. He turned to head back to let Rodney know what he had found.

oOo

From the shadows of a side street a dark figure watched as Sheppard activated the monument and gasped in surprise. He had not seen anybody with the ability to do that for many years. The stranger he saw before him was intriguing; he knew from the town rumours that he had arrived through the Wraith portal with three others. His mind worked overtime as he thought of the possibilities. This could well be exactly what he had been searching for. Things where looking up; he had thought tonight would bring little in the way of business for him. He backed off into the shadows, careful to conceal himself from the stranger and disappeared like a ghost; he was well practiced and was confident he had not been seen. He pulled out a communications device from his coat. After sending and receiving two clicks in reply, he began to excitedly explain his discovery to the unknown person at the receiving end of the device.

oOo

Sheppard walked back to their accommodation without difficulty and as he headed towards the building he could see Rodney in the distance watching him, arms crossed and by the looks of it tapping his foot like an impatient fishwife. He wondered how long Rodney had actually stood there waiting. He let out a snort and grinned. Just what he needed, a lecture from Rodney. He was just about to tell Rodney to give it a rest and explain what he had found when he suddenly felt some one advancing on him from behind.

He attempted to whip around but he was too slow and a hand grabbed him around his neck and pushed something to his face. He began to struggle but couldn't get a hold on whoever it was. He felt more arms grabbing him as his vision blurred. Whatever they had pressed against his face was fast acting and there was little he could do to help himself. The last thing he thought as the lights began to go out was his usual response of "oh crap!". He saw Rodney's panicked expression and heard his frantic shouting for help from Ronon and Teyla but it seemed to be in slow motion.

Rodney ran towards the scuffle, struggling to get his firearm out of the holster. It was too late. Before anyone could get to Sheppard he was gone.

tbc


	2. Chapter 2

**Harvester**

**Chapter Two**

Sheppard could feel the pull of consciousness but resisted slightly, he was so tired and wanted so much to just drift back off. He tried to remember what had happened to have given him the thick, foggy feeling in his brain, but he couldn't recall anything. He heard hushed voices around him and thought "oh great back in the infirmary again." He could smell a faint odour of antiseptic and forced his heavy eyelids open. He expected to see Beckett, or one of his teammates waiting to chastise him for whatever stupid thing he had done this time. But all he saw was floor. This wasn't right, where was the pale green ceiling of the infirmary? Why was he looking at an unfamiliar floor? He struggled to remember what had happened and he saw a flash of a memory, the feeling of struggling and losing. It all flooded back and with a start he went to push himself up, but found he couldn't.

He struggled for a while trying to work out why he couldn't get up. He suddenly realised with a feeling of dread that he was lying face down on some kind of table. His hands were strapped above his head, which was fixed in place above an opening. He could feel restraints holding his head, legs and torso and tried to tug at them to see if they would give any. He was at a major disadvantage as he couldn't see anything but the floor and couldn't move his head to either side. Panic welled inside him, but he remained still, listening to the voices around him. Their owners seemed oblivious to the fact their hostage was conscious. Maybe he could gain an advantage by listening to what they said. He might be able to use some information to make a break for it or, if he got desperate, to bargain for his freedom. Sheppard's head was starting to throb; whatever they gave him would take a while to wear off and if he had been unrestrained, he wasn't all that sure he would have been able to go anywhere anyway. He did his best to push the throbbing to the corner of his mind, determined to consentrate.

"He lit the monument Devlin…. do you realise what that means.? We can ask for more, we will get triple the usual price!" The voice was rambling with excitment, and was high pitched but definitely male. It kind of gave John the impression of some Kavanagh type, a real sniveling weasel - he didn't like him already.

"Wait, he came through the Wraith Portal, do you realise he is not one of our own? The agreement does not cover off-worlders. Who saw you take him Mika? It doesn't matter, they will know it was us. Who was with him? You did not think this through and you have put us all in danger! The agreement is there to give us an easy life - do you remember how it was before?" This voice was deep and he imagined the owner would be big, maybe even give Ronon a run for his money. Devlin seemed as uncomfortable with the situation as John did right now.

"Don't worry. We will be gone before they can do anything. No one knows about this location and we were careful they didn't see our faces. This means we won't have to go Harvesting for a few nights, we could move on to another town." Mika was too confident for John's liking, he thought he would like to knock that confidence right out of him. Shame about the restraints.

"Fine but lets do this quickly. Start the bidding, upload the new information and bump up the price. This better be worth it. If this backfires, I may well decide to start a bid on you." Devlin was angry.

"How long has he been awake?" A third voice suddenly joined the conversation.

"What?" Mika turned to look at their prize hostage. He was unmoving and to him seemed to be unconscious. Breathing was shallow and he had not heard anyone struggling with the restraints or crying out like he normally heard when one of their victims became aware of their predicament.

"If you are careless enough to talk when he is awake then you are more incompetent than I thought!" The voice was loud, harsh and commanding, and Sheppard could feel the tension rising in the room. He got the feeling that both Devlin and Mika were scared of the third man. Neither of them called him by name, and their voices seemed to shrink when they addressed him directly. The ominous voice came closer to Sheppard and he felt a sharp jab to his side and couldn't stop himself from flinching and letting out a painful yelp. This guy seemed dangerous; Sheppard was pretty sure this was the leader and the guy he needed to pay most attention to. He definitely didn't like this guy, and would take pleasure in returning the jab at a later date - preferably with the butt of his P90. "It doesn't matter, he won't be here long enough to cause us any problems." Sheppard felt a sharp sting in the back of his neck and everything went white. Great more drugs – that's going to help him escape.

oOo

"What the hell is going on?" Rodney was not happy and Halina was making no effort to help them. She had calmly explained that she had warned them of the rules, and John had broken one of the most important, therefore would pay the consequences for his actions. Once the group had found Halina's dwelling they had literally barged in. Ronon's knock was hard enough to burst the door open. Halina had been shocked, she had been writing in her journal, which she was now picking up from the floor, less than pleased with the interruption.

"I simply cannot help you Dr McKay. Colonel Sheppard knew our laws, I warned you all not two hours ago. What would you like me to do? I cannot be seen to break our laws. If you will wait until day break I can go to the council and request they help, but I believe they will refuse."

McKay opened his mouth to say something but stopped suddenly, shutting his mouth. He did this three times and was beginning to resemble a goldfish when he finally found the words.

"What I want you to do is tell us exactly what is happening. Who has taken Sheppard, and where have they taken him? If you won't help us, we will find him ourselves, and quite frankly I don't think you want that. We tend to cause damage when we are left to our own devices." McKay was rapidly losing what little patience he had to start with.

"I believe that would be unwise Dr McKay. You may destroy any possibility of trade with our people if you disturb our community's way of life or damage our property."

"Trade? Do you really think we want to trade with people who place such a small value on life? Now tell us what we want to know or Ronon may lose his temper and I don't think you will like it much. Your home is... well, let's say Quaint and Satedan don't match."

Ronon stood to his full posture and if it was even possible looked more intimidating than normal. He started to run his finger along a shelf of ornate glass figurines. He picked one up and started to toss it from hand to hand. Halina quickly crossed the room to take the piece from Ronon.

"Fine, for what little good it will do you. It's probably already too late for your Colonel anyway." There was a hint of venom in her voice, but McKay wasn't sure if this was because of the threat or for the gem of information she was about to enlighten them with.

"You have to understand, our culture is traditional, things have been passed from generation to generation. There are many things that we do not understand but have found it in our best interests to abide by. Our people were not always as prosperous and happy as they are now. Not every person on this planet is like us. There is a sect of people who call themselves The Harvesters. They are powerful, evil people. For many generations they took people indiscriminately and without respite, many good people where lost. Nothing our people did could stop this. No family was left untouched by them. Our people feared them more than the Wraith." Halina took a deep breath.

"After many generations our forefathers attempted to stop the Harvesters. They grouped together and went in search of their base. The Harvesters simply killed them, they where more in numbers than we expected and we greatly underestimated their power. As punishment they prevented our passage through the wraith portal; without access we could not trade and our people began to suffer and die. We had no means of gaining much needed medical supplies, the suffering was great. Over the following years, wars were fought over the dwindling resources, and we lost many good men. In an effort to prevent our society from imminent self-destruction, an agreement was finally made between the council and the Harvesters. They would be allowed to collect people for three weeks every year in each district. They would only take people who were on the street after dark, so our people implemented the curfew law as a means of protection. Once one is taken we must not interfere or the agreement is null and void. It is rare for someone of importance to be taken, usually only the homeless or criminals are victims. It is unfortunate but keeps our town prosperous and our streets free of the unworthy."

"And you feel that this is fair? You leave those who cannot take care of themselves to be taken. So that they do not spoil the appearance of your prosperous town?" Teyla was disgusted by this blatant cruelty. "I believe we were greatly mistaken in our haste to wish to trade with you. Your society is corrupt and it sickens me to think you hold such disregard to those less fortunate than yourself." Teyla could not hide the hatred she felt towards Halina's people. She was a leader and would never allow such a thing. The Athosians would stick together and not leave anyone behind.

"Why are these people taken? What do the Harvesters want them for, are they to be slaves?" Teyla doubted that slavery was the reason. She was sure it was something much more sinister, after all if it was slavery, these people could be liberated, and some would have returned.

"I am not sure, the rumours are many. But if you believe them, the most common is that the Harvesters remove the organs and sell them to the highest bidder. You're Colonel is most likely dead by now." Halina shrugged.

"What?" Rodney wanted to vomit at the thought of this, it sounded too much like a bad horror film he saw once. Surely people didn't do that? Why would anyone want an organ from another human? It was just sick.. sick and wrong.

"I have heard of such trading before in our dealings with other worlds. I did not believe it to be true." Teyla felt cold. If this was indeed the case her friend was to be butchered and sold off piece by piece.

"Its real, I've seen it before, some people simply want viable organs to use as replacements, when their own fail. Others think if they eat the organs of others they will gain their strength, and some just want it as a trophy, a collectors item." Ronon seemed distracted but Rodney could see the fire in his eyes.

McKay had a moment of clarity and a sickening thought hit him threatening to knock him on his butt.

"Wait they took Sheppard for a reason, I was out in the open they could have grabbed me, do you think they know about the Colonel's... ability?" McKay didn't want to give too much away to Halina but needed to ask the question, the answer all too obvious. If they knew Sheppard had the Ancient gene, his organs would probably fetch a far higher price.

"Oh God," McKay sunk into the nearest chair "What are we going to do? We need to get him back now!"

"Halina, where can we find the Harvester's?" Teyla was urgent in her questioning as she realised all to well that they had little time.

"I do not know, no one does. We do not venture out after dark and those that are taken never return. We do not seek out our own doom by searching for them."

"There must be something in these rumours, something that tells you where we might find them. Some location that no one goes to, or a forbidden place?" Teyla kept up the questioning. She needed some information, anything at all would be a start. "Perhaps someone else will be able to tell us where to find them?"

"Understand this, my people fear the Harvesters. As children we are told stories of them. I grew up to be terrified of what would happen if I ventured out after dark. To me the Harvesters are phantom's, they are unseen and unheard. They leave nothing but devastation in their wake. I do not wish to find these monsters nor does anyone else in the town. You will find no one willing to help you and no one has ever tried to find them. No one will go outside until daylight reaches us." Halina actually looked terrified. The colour drained from her olive complexion making her appear as white as a ghost.

Ronon lost patience, he was sure she knew something; things like this did not happen without people working out a few things. There was always an abandoned building or cave that was 'haunted' and no one dared to go there. He wanted to know and wasn't prepared to wait any longer for the answer. He grabbed Halina's arm and headed for the door, Halina screamed and hit at the hulking figure in terror as she was dragged outside into the dark street. Rodney and Teyla were shocked by Ronon's actions but couldn't blame him. They where getting nowhere fast and for all they knew Sheppard could already be dead. Rodney considered heading back to the gate to get re-enforcements but it would take time - time they didn't have. They were on their own.

"You fear this? Why? There is no one here, they have already taken people tonight. They have taken my friend. You will help us find him, or I will give you to the Harvesters myself." Halina was sobbing with fear. Ronon would never do such a thing but she didn't know that.

Halina was terrified at the thought of leaving the safety of her home after dark and the intimidation was enough to glean enough information from her to give them a starting point. Halina told them of a small abandoned town about five miles past the edge of their town's boundary. There was nothing much there, just a large factory, a few scatterings of houses, and a disused laboratory. Halina had been told many frightening stories about this town. It was literally a ghost town, believed to be haunted by people killed by an explosion in a second factory in the town, which had been completely destroyed. People did not venture too near to the abandoned town, for fear that they would be taken by ghosts. Some people had voiced their opinion that this could be one of the Harvester locations, but no one had the courage to investigate. The people felt it best to simply leave it be.

With nothing else to go on the team decided this was the best place to start their search. They guessed that the smaller buildings would not really be suitable to hold people captive, so it was likely that if this was the place Sheppard would be held in either the factor or laboratory. They silently checked their packs and weapons. Gathering up supplies and water for the journey, they headed out leaving a relieved Halina sobbing in the corner of her room.

tbc.


	3. Chapter 3

**Harvester**

**Chapter Three**

As Sheppard clawed his way back to the land of the living, he felt worse than he could ever remember. Even worse than the morning after Zalenka had persuaded him to try some of the Atlantis science department's home brew, which up until now he didn't think was possible. He forced his eyelids open, hoping that he would find himself in the warm and comforting safety of the Atlantis infirmary, only to be greeted once again by the dirty floor of some make shift base of operations. He felt waves of nausea rise up through him but swallowed them back down. Looking at the floor was bad enough without having to look at his own vomit as well. There was someone beside him talking to him, but he was still all a bit on the fuzzy side and couldn't grasp whatever the voice was saying. It was sneering at him and he didn't really think he would like what they where saying anyway. As his head cleared the voice became clearer he started to pick up a few things.

"You have fetched us a pretty price, we received the largest bid in over 15 years. We will feast well and live like Kings for months from you."

He had definitely missed something. What where they bidding on again? And what did it have do with him? Wait, had they sold him? Was he going to end up on some godforsaken planet, doing the bidding of some wealthy dignitary? Because that was never going happen.

"I never did like auctions, couldn't keep track of what I was bidding for. Are you sure your clients know what they're getting? 'Cause if they are expecting some hefty manservant, they're not gonna be happy when you hand them my scrawny behind. Oh and just so you know, I've never been one to cooperate."

The voice was suddenly close to his ear.

"Its not your 'behind' they want my friend and your cooperation is not necessary." He couldn't be sure but it did not sound like Devlin or Mika, he was pretty sure it was the third guy. "I am curious, the other people who arrived on this planet with you, do they also have the gift?"

Crap they new he had the gene, and they could go after his team. Ronon and Teyla might stand a chance but Rodney would be toast.

"Nope, just me, sorry guys. I'm a one shot deal, and my 'gift' doesn't even work that well. Your buyers are gonna be pretty disappointed." Sheppard tried to sound off-hand and indifferent.

"I do not believe you are being truthful, maybe we will take your friends anyway. Gift or not they will make us money, and it matters not whether your gift works, we will be long gone before they have any complaint."

"Well leave me directions and I will send them your way when they get here."

"That will be difficult for you. You see there is more than one buyer and they will not wish to meet each other when they collect their share." His captor leered

"Wait, how's that gonna work? Am I some kind of timeshare deal here?"

The glee that laced the voice was unmistakable - this man was going to take great pleasure in what he was about to say.

"You are an off-worlder; you have not heard of us and you do not seem to fear us. I find this amusing. Let me tell you of my people."

"Well I am all for hearing the cultural side of people, but I'm a little uncomfortable here for story time. How about you untie me and I wipe that smirk off your face?" Sheppard snarked.

His captor let out an amused snort.

"I do not believe that will be in my best interest. I am The Harvester."

"What have I stumbled into some weird farming dispute? 'Cause seriously I know nothing about it."

"In a way yes, but we do not harvest crops. We deal in much more lucrative produce. We deal in flesh. We harvest human organs, and sell them to the highest bidder and the bidding on your first organ has just ended." The man leaned so close John could feel his breath against his ear. His voice dropped lower, and seemed to caress the words as he uttered them. "I hope you are not too attached to your kidney, as we will be taking it very soon".

Sheppard reeled in horror at what his captor had just told him. To him he was a slab of meat, a way to make a quick buck and what he had told him made him feel physically sick. He gagged, but fought it back, not willing to give his captors the satisfaction of seeing him go to pieces.

John heard the ripping of fabric as his black t-shirt was removed allowing the cool air to attack his bare skin sending a small shiver over his body. He felt a cold stinging sensation in the base of his spine, which spread throughout his body. He waited for the unconsciousness to take him but it never came; instead his entire body was becoming numb. Cold, hard panic hit him; he tried to move his fingers and toes but nothing. Sheppard tried to fight, to move his unresponsive limbs by sheer willpower. He desperately fought to control the rising panic as he realised with horror that he was going to be fully conscious as they started to cut.

He started to fight for breath, as the paralysis took effect on his diaphragm. A moment of clear thought hit him - he was going to suffocate. His vision blurred and he began to see stars as the hypoxia took its toll. Everything going on around him became fuzzy as his brain struggled to cope. He felt a moment of vertigo as the bed he was strapped to was lifted and tilted. The complete lack of feeling made him feel disjointed from his body. Someone opened his mouth and expertly intubated him; they obviously had other plans than to allow him to suffocate. As his vision and mind started to clear he felt utterly defeated - he was a prisoner in his own body.

oOo

John lay there for what seemed an eternity, just listening to the sounds around him. He heard the sound of metal on metal, like instruments on a tray coming towards him, and out of the corner of his eye he could see the wheels of a trolley and two sets of legs. There was no talking, which unnerved him; what were they doing? He lay there helpless, trying not to pay attention to the questions racing through his mind. How long had he lain there? Minutes? Hours? Had they cut him yet, was he laying there dying? Had one of his vital organs been removed? 'Cause he actually was still using it and felt it rude that they would just take it. He laughed silently at the joke, felt the hysteria echo through his mind. He was scared, actually terrified. Right at this second he could be lying there bleeding out and no one knew where he was, no one knew what was happening. How would his team feel when they found him lying dead, butchered up, best bits taken leaving an empty shell? Would there be enough left of him to put into a casket to send back through the gate? What if they never found him? He would simply be MIA. He felt all hope ebb away as terror seeped into every part of his body. He actually felt cold with fear and if he could feel any part of his body he was sure it would be trembling. Every second that past felt like an eternity, he had lost all concept of time.

He was startled by what sounded like a small explosion somewhere close by and the voices were suddenly loud and panicked. He heard distant shouts, the voices familiar, and closer, Devlin urging someone to hurry. His team had found him, but were they in time? He wanted to call out but the breathing tube blocked his throat and obstructed his vocal chords. He tried again, screaming in his mind, wishing they would get to him, but all he accomplished was a small gurgle.

"They know we are here, they will find us. There is not enough time, leave him we must go!" Devlin was there again, shouting. He felt another sharp scratch in his neck; it was comforting to know at least one part of his body still had some feeling. Everything around him lost focus; whatever the syringe had contained had not been strong enough to render him fully unconscious - probably a mistake from one of his captors in their haste to keep him subdued. His head felt so heavy, just like it did when Carson gave him the good stuff. He didn't know what was happening but there were loud, hurried voices, bangs and what he though were red flashing lights.

oOo

As they entered the building Ronon used sheer force to kick the door open; he was in no mood to take his time and didn't care how much noise he made. Ronon took the lead, crossing the open foyer at a run and taking the stairs two at a time. Rodney followed behind with Teyla, guns raised. Rodney forgot his normal rules of self-preservation in favour of helping find his teammate. As Ronon reached the top of the stairs, he heard movement and panicked voices. Hope welled in the pit of his stomach - this had to be the right place. He set off at a run in the direction he thought the noise had come from. As he rounded the corner, he heard the voices again, in a room towards the end of the dark corridor; he didn't wait for Teyla or Rodney to catch him. He didn't care how many were in that room, they would not be enough to stop him.

He burst through the door and paused for a second, taking in the horror before him. Sheppard was strapped to a table in the middle of the room; he couldn't tell if he was alive. Three men were clustered around Sheppard in various states of panic, and the first was grabbing for a gun. Ronon shook himself out of his momentary freeze and dispatched this guy with two rounds from his weapon - it was not set to stun. The second man was stood near Sheppard's head, with a syringe in his hand. He stopped dead and his eyes widened with fear as Ronon fired without pause. The man fell forward, his now still form slumped over John. The third man fired at Ronon before he could react but the aim was poor and caused only a flesh wound to Ronon's side. A shot came from behind Ronon, taking the man down in an instant. Ronon turned to see Teyla lowering her weapon with a heavily wheezing McKay behind her fumbling with his holster. Teyla's shot was on target but not aimed to kill. The third man was unconscious, but alive.

The team's attention turned to their C.O.

"Oh my God...He's dead isn't he?" McKay was frozen to the spot unable to move. He wanted nothing more than to go check for a pulse, but the fear of finding nothing stopped him in his tracks. Teyla was beside Sheppard, pulling the dead captor from her C.O.s still form and feeling for a pulse, while noting the whooshing sound of the ventilator. She crouched so that she could see his face. "There is a pulse - it is very weak." Her touch roused the Colonel slightly and his eyes momentarily fluttered open, but he offered no other response to show he was in fact awake. The team where instantly unfastening the restraints holding Sheppard. Teyla's arm knocked a sheet covering Sheppard's lower body and it slipped slightly, and she could not help but let out a gasp.

"They cut him? Have they taken something? We're too late, aren't we?" Rodney was pushing Teyla aside in his haste to check the large gaping incision. He reeled back in horror as he realised what he was doing and grabbed a nearby bin allowing his entire stomach content to drain into the receptacle.

"What do we do? We need Beckett; this place isn't even clean let alone sterile, do you know how much bacteria could be floating around here? We can't risk moving him, we could kill him." Rodney regained some level of composure.

"We might not have a choice - this building is not secure. There may be more of these Harvesters around." Ronon's voice was rational, showing no hint of emotion.

"I cannot tell if they have succeeded in removing the organ. It will be difficult to move Colonel Sheppard in his current state." Teyla grimaced as she looked at the wound. "I will return to the gate and contact Atlantis; request that Dr Beckett attends the planet. He can bring a jumper and re-enforcements." Teyla knew it was their best option. She was faster and more capable than McKay. If Ronon where to go and the Harvesters returned, she and Rodney would struggle to move Sheppard if the need arose, something Ronon would be able to do with little trouble. With one last glance at her C.O. and a nod from Ronon she was gone.

Rodney watched as Ronon moved to a position near a small window, fully alert, watching for the slightest movement. Rodney retrieved his first aid kit from his pack, not that a few Tylenol and the odd field dressing would help, but he needed something to do. He felt helpless. He began to attempt to bandage the wound, hoping that some covering might prevent debris entering the Colonel's wound causing an infection, although he knew deep down it was probably too late. He knelt down on the floor so that he could see Sheppard's face, feeling his forehead, which felt warm and clammy.

Sheppard's eyes sluggishly opened and his eyes fixed on Rodney with the realisation that his team had come for him. He tried to move his mouth to say something but Rodney couldn't understand it past the ventillator. Rodney didn't know how to react. Sheppard was awake, but he had no way of ascertaining if he was aware of his surroundings or if he was in pain. What had they done to him? And why was he on a ventillator?

"You're going to be fine Colonel, just lay still. Teyla has gone for help; Beckett will be here before you know it waving his voodoo wand and using the power of the Scottish Juju to make you good as new."

Sheppard's eyes closed as unconsciousness finally grabbed hold of him with both hands and dragged him down into the depths of blackness.

"God, what the hell did they do to you?" he murmered. McKay rose to his feet and removed his jacket placing it over Sheppard careful not to disturb the wad of bandages he had managed to use to cover the wound.

tbc


	4. Chapter 4

**Harvester**

**Chapter Four**

Teyla made it to the gate without encountering any difficulties. By the time she reached the 'gate the sun was beginning to rise and a few of the townspeople began to stir and leave their homes. She dialed the 'gate, entered her IDC and crossing through the blue puddle.

Elizabeth was waiting in the control room as Teyla exited the event horizon; when the 'gate shut down behind her before anyone else appeared, she knew things had turned sour. Teyla quickly explained the situation to Elizabeth, Lorne and Beckett.

Beckett hurried off to ready his team and gather the necessary equipment. He could hardly believe what Teyla had said. What kind of person could do that to another living being? He pushed the thought out of his mind, it was more important for him to get to the Colonel and help him right now. By the sounds of things Sheppard wasn't going to be in good shape when he got there.

As the puddle jumper exited the Stargate, the pilot engaged the cloak. This was an advantage they would need if the Harvesters had returned. Teyla breathed a sigh of relief as the puddle jumper reached their destination and smoothly landed. The squad of Marines exited the 'Jumper, taking up standard defensive formation, however the area was abandoned. If there had been any more Harvesters in the area, they were long gone.

Teyla led Beckett and the rescue team to Colonel Sheppard's location in the abandoned building. The relief on McKay's face was all too apparent as Carson entered the room.

"Carson, thank God. You need to help him."

"It's okay Rodney, let me take a look at him now." Carson steered McKay out of the way and swiftly began to assess his patient. He carefully removed the bandages and anger flushed his face as he saw the extent of the incision. There was blood pooled in the wound and he used a sterile swab to mop it away. He sighed with relief as he registered the presence of a kidney, but without further exploration he could not tell if there was any damage to the organ; for now he would have to pack the wound and wait until they got to the O.R. on Atlantis, to repair any damage.

Ronon noticed that the Harvester who had tried to shoot him was conscious and attempting to back out of the room. Ronon strode purposefully across the room and grabbed him by the throat, pinning him to the nearest wall. Ronon grabbed him by the throat and pinned him to the nearest wall. Anger rose in him and the temptation to crush the man's windpipe was overpowering. Teyla was beside him, her hand on his arm.

"Ronon you must stop. Killing him will not make right what he has done."

"He doesn't deserve to live." Ronon responded. He turned to glare at the Harvester. "How many people have you killed? How many people have suffered the same fate?" The anger refused to abate.

"Ronon, I need to know what's happened and the Colonel is unconscious. It might help me determine what treatment is required." Carson was now beside the Satedan. Ronon relaxed his grip slightly but did not fully release the man. Mika gasped for breath.

"Please, I beg you, do not kill me."

"Why should I spare your life, when you were so willing to take his?" Ronon pointed to his stricken C.O. "Tell us what you did to him now, or I will make you suffer such unimaginable pain you will beg for death."

"We have not taken anything! He is fine - we have not killed him." Mika panicked, trying to bargain for his life.

"What drugs have you used and why is he intubated?" Carson demanded. He needed answers and the Colonel didn't have time to wait for them.

"Intubated? I do not understand."

"The tube in his throat breathing for him!" Carson had no patience or sympathy towards this man.

"We administered a paralytic agent to prevent him from moving when we began the procedure. This agent paralyses completely and without the tube he would have died." Mika thought it best not to hide anything as his life literally depended on it. This revelation made the anger burn in Carson, to the point he would not have stopped Ronon if he had tightened his grip.

"He was awake? You did this to him while he was conscious?" Carson was disgusted by the pure horror of what he had just been told.

"Oh my God, I'm gonna be sick." McKay headed back to the corner and the previously discarded receptacle.

"Our clients require proof that the donor is alive when bidding. Once one organ is removed the bidding begins on the next. He felt no pain."

This statement made Carson want to join Rodney. He could not imagine the fear the Colonel must have felt, being aware of what was going to happen. Ronon did not wait to hear anything else; he tensed his arm and slammed the Harvester into the wall. Mika promptly dropped in a heap to the ground and Ronon headed back to the window, avoiding Teyla's gaze.

With the help of the Teyla and the marines, Carson carefully turned the unconscious Colonel onto his back. He assessed the breathing tube and ventilator. It was slightly different in design to an earth-based vent, and Carson realised that it was too bulky to take with them. The tube inserted would not connect to the bag they would need to use on the journey back to Atlantis. Carson needed to remove this tube and re-intubate the Colonel. This he did efficiently, carefully sliding the blade of the laryngoscope into the Colonel's throat, lifting the epiglottis away and inserting the tube into the Colonel's trachea. Carson connected the tubing to a bag, which Teyla squeezed rhythmically, forcing vital air into her C.O.s lungs. Carson checked the Colonel's chest, hearing good air entry on both sides, confident the tube was inserted correctly. He then inserted an IV and connected the Colonel to the portable cardiac monitor.

Once the Colonel was secured in the litter, they headed back to the jumper. They returned to the 'gate within minutes and upon establishing a wormhole Carson radioed Atlantis.

"Atlantis, I need a medical team standing by in the jumper bay, and someone page the surgical team. I need the O.R. prepped for surgery immediately."

"Carson, how's Colonel Sheppard?" Elizabeth tried not to let the worry show in her voice.

"He's alive, but unconscious. I won't know anything until I get him into surgery. They were attempting to remove his kidney but they didn't have chance to complete the procedure. I can't tell how far they got and if they have done any permanent damage until I can explore the wound."

"Thank God. The shield is down Carson, bring him home."

The sleek craft breached the event horizon, and exited the wormhole into the safety of Atlantis. It lifted smoothly in to the jumper bay and as the pilot docked the spaceship a medical team was standing by with a gurney.

oOo

Elizabeth entered the infirmary. There was a whirlwind of activity. The medical team was working on Colonel Sheppard, readying him for surgery. Nurses were connecting his breathing tube to the ventilator, replacing the empty saline bag on his IV, inserting extra IV lines and swiftly removing his remaining clothes, placing a crisp white sheet over his unconscious body. The Colonel was immediately wheeled into the O.R. where Carson was hurriedly scrubbing in, and the surgical team awaited the arrival of their patient. Elizabeth closed her eyes and attempted to compose herself in readiness for yet another long wait in the infirmary. This was getting to be a regular occurrence and once again she worried that one of these days Colonel Sheppard's luck would run out.

Elizabeth's attention turned to Ronon, who was stood next to a bed, arms crossed and scowling. A nurse was trying to get him to remove his shirt so that she could check on his gunshot wound.

"Ronon, you should let them treat you. The wound needs to be cleaned and dressed." Teyla was attempting to assist the nurse efforts to prevail.

"It's just a graze. It's fine."

"I'll be the judge of that." The nurse was becoming impatient.

"Ronon, we are going to be here for sometime, you might as well get it over with. If you wait for Carson, he will not be as patient or as sympathetic." Elizabeth reasoned, remaining ever the diplomat.

Ronon relented and allowed the nurse to do her job, however he refused to lie on the bed, instead chose to stay standing throughout the treatment, his gaze fixed on the door to the O.R.

Elizabeth looked around at the group of people settling into their regular positions, prepared to wait as long as necessary for any news of their C.O. Teyla was perched on the end of an empty infirmary bed; Ronon resting against a nearby wall and Rodney had sunk into a small uncomfortable chair next to Teyla. They all looked tired and dirty, but she knew better than to suggest they go rest and freshen up. She chose to sit in a second chair near to Rodney, as they all settled down to wait together.

oOo

Carson exited the O.R. behind the bed containing Colonel Sheppard as it was wheeled into recovery. He immediately headed over to where the Colonel's team would be patiently waiting for news. For once the operation had been relatively straightforward. The Colonel not giving him the usual headache of coding on the table, or springing some previously unseen injury on him.

He explained to Elizabeth and the others that upon exploring the wound, he had found a small laceration to the kidney, most likely the result of the Harvesters' haste to remove the organ. He had repaired the damage, flushed the wound thoroughly and stitched it up without further problems, then started the Colonel on a broad-spectrum antibiotic to hopefully prevent the onset of an infection. He was going to need to keep an eye on the Colonel's kidney function for a while to ensure there had been no lasting damage, which meant the dreaded catheter. The Colonel was also still suffering from the effects of the paralytic agent. The blood work had been inconclusive and without knowing for definite what it was, Carson was reluctant to try any of their reversing agents. Therefore it would have to run its course. The Colonel would need to remain on the ventilator until his diaphragm function returned and he could be weaned from it.

"Thank God!" Rodney collapsed deeper into the chair with relief; he had been convinced they had been too late.

"May we see him please Carson?" Teyla requested what she knew everyone else was thinking.

"He's still unconscious at the moment, so there's not much to see, but yes you can see him. Only for a minute, mind you, and on the condition that after you see him, you all go take a shower, get something to eat and get some sleep. Understood?"

The team dutifully nodded their acceptance of the terms. Elizabeth and Rodney went in first. The lighting in the room was dimmed and the atmosphere seemed uncomfortably silent with the exception of the quiet whooshing of the ventilator and quiet rhythmical beep of the heart monitor. John looked to be in the depths of peaceful sleep, except for the numerous tubes that snaked from beneath the crisp white sheet that covered his still form and the harsh tubing from his mouth that kept him alive by forcing air into his lungs. He looked vulnerable and childlike and Elizabeth felt the urge to touch him to reassure herself that he was in fact there and alive. Her hand reached out and she felt the reassuring warmth of his arm.

Rodney stood beside Elizabeth, relief still flooding through him. Despite the number of tubes and wires, the Colonel looked a lot better than he did on the planet after his rescue. He felt a twinge of anger at the fact that once again Sheppard had put him through the worry of thinking he was dying. If this continued he wouldn't need a wraith to suck the life out of him he would prematurely age with worry. They remained for a few minutes before leaving to allow Teyla and Ronon to enter the room.

oOo

Teyla returned to the infirmary after showering and visiting the mess hall; she did not feel tired and knew that she would have difficulty getting any sleep. She had radioed both Rodney and Ronon to let them know she would take first watch to allow them both to get some rest, without worrying that John would be alone when he woke up. She sat holding his hand and talking to him in a soothing reassuring tone about nothing in particular. She had been there for sometime, and she expected that Rodney would arrive soon and take over her patient vigil. She felt John's hand twitch slightly, and looked up to see his eyes wide open and looking around in confusion. At first she was unsure if he was actually awake as the Colonel's usual gagging from the obstruction of the tube was absent. His face was twisted into a terrified expression, and he opened and closed his eyes as if trying to wake himself from a nightmare. She smiled reassuringly, stroking his head and telling him he was safe in Atlantis before momentarily stepping out of the room to call Carson.

"Glad to see you're back with us son. Just bear with me for a moment, while I check a few things and we'll try and make you a bit more comfortable." Carson checked the monitors and IV's, then checked the output of the catheter. The Colonel's kidneys seemed to be functioning well, producing a normal level of urine, and there was no sign of blood.

"Colonel, can you wiggle your toes for me son?" Carson folded back the sheet from his legs and waited for some response but there was nothing. He fixed the sheet back in place.

"Thats fine, how about your fingers, can you move them?" There was slight movement this time, but not as much as Carson would have liked, the drugs were obviously still having an affect on John. Carson also noted that John did not seem to be fighting against the vent or trying to remove it as he usually did. John had a look of fear on his face.

"Its okay Colonel, don't worry, you were given a drug on the planet that's temporarily paralyzed you. But the feeling should come back soon, just relax. I'm going to give you a wee something to make you sleep for a little while now. Is that okay? Blink if it's a yes." John appeared to think about this for a minute before blinking. Carson saw the blink and subsequently injected the syringe he was holding into the Colonel's IV.

"I've given him a sedative, he'll be asleep for quite a while. You should go get some rest. Once he wakes up hopefully the effects will have worn off and we'll be able to get him off the vent and up and about." Carson reassured Teyla. They both left the room, Teyla turned to see John sleeping peacefully before heading to her quarters.

tbc


	5. Chapter 5

**Harvester**

**Chapter Five**

Carson returned to check on John to find Rodney asleep in the chair next to his bed. He smiled to himself wondering how the sneaky little bugger had managed to get in here unseen by the nurses - McKay wasn't known for his stealthiness. He checked the chart, reading over the notes of the nursing staff that had been regularly checking on the Colonel. He completed his routine checks. The Colonel was still unconscious, Carson had given him a substantial enough dose to put him out for the past fourteen hours. He expected the Colonel could wake anytime now, so he was glad Rodney was around; a familiar face. He would be able to reassure the Colonel once he regained consciousness. He turned to leave only to hear the subtle change in the rhythmical beat of the heart monitor the first sign of the Colonel's return to consciousness. He smirked to himself at the Colonel's impeccable timing.

oOo

John could hear an annoying beeping noise, taunting him into waking up, and a strange whooshing noise, that seemed to be unpleasantly familiar, but he couldn't quite remember why. He forced his heavy eyelids open to see Carson smiling at him, reassuring him he was safe and on Atlantis. He lay there for a few seconds, before being hit by a wave of panic, and the recognition that he couldn't breathe. Something was blocking his throat. He gagged and choked, raising his arm up to grab at whatever was obstructing his breathing. His arm was sluggish and uncoordinated and could not accomplish what he was trying to do. Carson grabbed his arm smiling with relief at the Colonel's movement and placed it back on the bed. A nurse appeared and gently held his other arm to prevent him from trying again. Why was Carson smiling?

"Its okay Colonel, just relax. The ventilator was necessary as you were having a wee spot of bother with your breathing. It looks like the drug has worn off now. I just need to do a few checks then we will see about taking the breathing tube out."

John tried to remain calm, concentrating with all his being to allow the tube to do the work. He waited patiently until Carson removed it. John felt Carson push up the sheet covering him to expose his feet to the cool air, sending a shiver tingling up his spine.

"Ok let's see if you can wiggle your toes for me now." John dutifully obeyed, his movements sluggish, but the feeling was there and he felt the relief wash over him - he had control back. With that control came the realisation that he was the not so proud owner of a catheter and he didn't even have a gown let alone scrubs! He felt pretty vulnerable right now and wished that Carson would hurry up and finish his tests.

"Excellent." Carson continued to request John move certain limbs, then prodded and poked, asking John to blink when he felt contact. Carson was obviously satisfied with John's responses.

"Okay, a bit sluggish, but you seem to have recovered sufficiently. Lets see about taking you off the vent, shall we? You know the drill Colonel." Carson unfastened the tape holding the tube in place and disconnected it from the ventilator.

John coughed on command and the tube was carefully removed from his throat, resulting in a coughing fit as an oxygen mask was placed over his face and secured with the strap.

"Okay son, nice deep breaths." The coughing subsided. His throat felt raw and his body felt exhausted from the exertion.

"What the..." the commotion had woken Rodney with a start and he was looking around to see what on earth was going on. Upon seeing John awake and free of the vent he smiled and stretched out like a cat before standing. Seeing John's obvious discomfort Rodney picked up a cup of ice chips as Carson turned to reach for them.

"This should help." John felt the mask lift temporarily and the soothing relief of an ice chip placed between his dry lips. He let out a contented sigh as the ice melted and the cool liquid coated his raw throat, before slipping back to sleep.

oOo

His next return to consciousness was less stressful. He woke to find the oxygen mask had been replaced with a nasal cannula, which although he disliked it intensely, it was a better option than the invasive tube of a ventilator. He had also gained a gown, which he planned to exchange very soon for a pair of scrubs, however that would have to wait until he could negotiate the removal of the catheter. He looked around to catch someone's attention. He saw Carson across the room looking over another patient's chart.

"Hey Doc?" John's voice was raw and strained from the vent, but it was loud enough to catch Carson's attention.

"Colonel. How are you feeling?"

"I'm good. I would be better if you take out the catheter?" John said hopefully.

"I think we can arrange that soon if your next set of test results come back clear. You're kidney function seems to be fine, no lasting effects." John wondered why Carson couldn't have removed it before he woke up.

Once the nasal cannula and catheter had been removed John requested a pair of scrubs only to be refused. He was informed that Carson needed to check on the wound and he was to remain in bed, so he did not need scrubs. No chance of escape just yet unless he wanted all of Atlantis to see his bare behind. He smiled to himself; he couldn't be too seriously hurt if he was already well enough to be planning his escape.

Carson returned a little while later with a nurse and had John roll on to his side to check the stitches. John flinched as Carson removed the dressing. The memory of the recent events jumped on him, threatening to cause a panic attack. It took all of John's focus not to leap from the bed and away from the contact. John knew that Carson must have seen his reaction, and although John had never been amenable to any kind of therapy session, he resigned himself to the fact that he would be forced to speak to Kate Heightmeyer before they let him back on duty.

By the time his team came to visit him, he had disregarded the order to remain in bed, found himself a pair of scrubs and was arguing with Carson about taking a shower. The sooner he could get out of here the better. He knew the nightmares would be bad from this; he also knew that he would cope with it on his own terms. He didn't want Carson to have any more reason to have Kate pay him a visit. All he had left were the stitches from his wound, the IV had been removed and he had even eaten breakfast; more out of his desire to leave than hunger.

Carson reluctantly allowed John to shower and even relented in allowing him to return to his own quarters, on the agreement that John was to go straight to bed and rest and that Carson or one of the nurses would check in on John on a regular basis. Carson warned him that if he caught him out of bed or even thinking about going to the gym with Ronon, he would be returned to the infirmary, placed in a gown -if he was lucky - and made to remain there on full bed rest, restrained if necessary until the stitches were removed.

Teyla and Ronon walked John to his quarters, and helped him to settle into bed since the painkillers Carson had given him were making him drowsy. He curled up into a ball and fell asleep, too drained to even change out of the scrubs. Teyla left the painkillers and antibiotics on the bedside table with a bottle of water and left John to sleep. She considered remaining in his quarters to watch over him for a while. She was aware that in the past John had suffered nightmares after missions went sour, but knew that John probably would prefer to be left alone.

tbc


	6. Chapter 6

**Harvester**

**Chapter Six**

John sat bolt upright, panting for breath. He scrubbed at his face, wiping the sweat from his brow. He headed for the bathroom to throw water over his face where he resisted the urge to vomit, taking in deep gulps of air. He checked the clock; it was 5:30am. John had woken three times in total, each time believing himself to be back on the planet slowly bleeding to death, the voice of the third Harvester ringing in his ears as he lay helpless feeling the life drain from him.

He dressed and headed out, feeling the need to be in the open. The corridors were deserted this early, which was a relief. He didn't want to make polite conversation, he just wanted to be left alone. He made his way to his favourite pier, looking out onto the endless water, relishing the feeling of the cool breeze on his face. He felt a hand on his shoulder causing him to jump, and turn around at speed. A stab of pain threatening to make his knees buckle, as his sudden movement pulled on his stitches, causing him to yelp in pain.

"Sorry John, I didn't mean to startle you." Elizabeth felt guilty for not making more noise as she had approached the Colonel.

"Its ok, wasn't expecting anyone to be about this early." John shrugged. Elizabeth looked puzzled.

"John its 8.30am. Are you okay?" John realised he must have been standing on the balcony for nearly three hours, he realised he was actually shivering with cold.

"I'm fine, guess I just lost track of time." John forced a smile.

Elizabeth was concerned. She had read Rodney's mission report, and listen to Carson's report of the condition he had found John in, and although she could not comprehend the pain and fear John must have felt, she realised the implications of what John had been subjected to. John looked frozen to the bone and he seemed distant; he obviously hadn't gotten much sleep. She remembered Carson's recommendation that he be referred to Kate Heightmeyer once he was physically recovered and before being cleared for active duty.

John turned to look at her realising how he must look stood on a balcony shivering in only sweat pants and a t-shirt, having apparently lost track of time and been there for god knows how long.

"Look, I'm fine, just had a nightmare, which is probably to be expected. You've read the mission report, you know what happened." John pushed away from the railing where he had been resting.

"I can't lie to you and say I am one hundred percent but I'll deal with this on my own on my terms."

"You should speak to Kate." Elizabeth saw no point in beating around the bush, they both knew which way this was heading.

"If you make me I will, but I'll tell her what she wants to hear, get a pat on the shoulder and sent on my way. Just let me deal with this Elizabeth. I don't need to talk to Kate. I need to go back there. I need to speak to him."

John had talked to Rodney, Ronon and Teyla about what had happened on the planet, in the infirmary before Carson had released him. He couldn't remember much of what happened around him after the paralytic agent had been injected, only the memory of fear and panic and the ominous voice of the Harvester Leader. They told him how all but one of his captors had been killed in the rescue. The one named Mika had been wounded but not killed. The team of Marines had remained behind for a short while after John's rescue, to ensure the Harvester base of operations would not be left standing to allow them to continue. They had then taken Mika into the town to the Council and Halina.

On seeing the pathetic form of Mika, the town's people realised the phantoms they had feared for so long were nothing but men. Mika had been locked in a cell in the town's jail and upon interrogation admitted that Devlin, himself, two other men and their leader Veltin had been the last of the Harvesters. They relied on the fear of the legends of old to make people think their numbers were still many. Upon realising that they were now free of the threat, the people had gathered together in parties and set out to search for the last two Harvesters, determined once and for all to be rid of the curse.

Mika and the two other remaining Harvesters now sat in a jail awaiting their fate. The council were still deliberating on the best course of action. Many people in the town were demanding the penalty of death for the murder of so many people.

Elizabeth couldn't understand why John wanted to return to the planet. If she were in this situation, she couldn't think of anything worse; the last thing she would want to do to would be face someone who instilled such fear and anguish. But she was not John.

"Why go back? What will it accomplish?" Elizabeth was unconvinced.

"I need to see him, I never saw his face. I have all these thoughts in my head, false images. If I don't go back and face him, I won't be able to move on." John was surprised at his own honesty, but he was tired and he didn't want to be plagued with nightmares of monsters slashing at him, taking what was his.

Elizabeth hadn't realised that John had never actually seen his captors. That the torture he had endured had been some faceless entity to him. She didn't need to be a psychologist to realise that this factor would be terrifying.

"I will speak to Carson and Kate, explain the situation to them. If they agree, then once you are well enough to travel, you can return to the planet. But only if Carson and Kate both agree, okay?" Elizabeth touched John's shoulder and this time he didn't flinch. He looked at her, his eyes conveying his thanks for her understanding. They both walked from the balcony back into the warmth of Atlantis.

oOo

"Absolutely not!" Carson couldn't believe what Elizabeth was suggesting. "I won't allow it. He is not physically well enough to go now, and even if he was I can't believe he wants to go back to that planet, or that you agreed to this." Carson looked accusingly to Kate who was sat to Elizabeth's right in Carson's office.

"Colonel Sheppard is one of my more difficult challenges. He rarely opens up to anyone; it must have been difficult for him to talk to Elizabeth about his feelings. I can see why he needs to put a face to the voice. He needs closure to be able to move on from this experience. Now I am not saying I won't need to have some sessions with him to address his experiences at the hands of these men. But allowing John to see this man for what he is may go some way in helping him deal with what has happened."

"Then show him a bloody picture of the man. Why does he need to go back there?" Carson had lost all patience; he couldn't believe they were seriously going to allow this.

"Carson, a picture won't be enough. He needs to see for himself, see that his captor was flesh and blood." Kate explained.

"Fine, but not for a few more days and he goes in a Jumper and both Kate and I will accompany him. If he shows any signs of not coping then we leave whether the Colonel wants to or not. Are we clear?" Carson was reluctant to agree but both Elizabeth and Kate were insistent.

"Agreed." Elizabeth was nervous about John's return to the planet, but knew that if Kate and Carson went along with Colonel Sheppard and his team, he would be in safe hands.

oOo

Two days later the jumper landed on the planet and the group exited onto the outskirts of the town. Halina was waiting for them, the arrangements had been made for Colonel Sheppard to see the prisoner. She escorted them to the jail herself. She was silent for most of the journey, eyeing Ronan suspiciously; she was obviously still afraid of the large Satedan walking next to John.

John turned to the group, before entering the room, a look of hesitation on his face. He wanted to do this alone, however Carson insisted that someone go with him. As he entered the dimly lit room, he could see someone sat behind a plain metal table, shackled to the chair. The figure let out a small nervous chuckle, which abruptly ceased as Ronon entered the room behind John.

John paused for a few seconds, before walking over to the table. He looked at the empty chair placed for him to sit, but did not take it. Instead he remained standing, as if ready to bolt in an instant. He looked across the table expecting to see the phantom that had plagued his nightmares since his return to Atlantis. Instead he saw a shabby looking man, thin and gaunt, cold fear in his eyes. John leaned across the table looking his captor in the eyes, resolute with determination. Mika leaned away, afraid. That was all John needed. The phantom was gone replaced by a shrunken broken man - just a man.

Secure in the thought that Mika was no threat to him, he turned and left the room; he never uttered a word to his captor. Ronon followed behind him with the unspoken acknowledgment that John had done what he came here to do.

The group returned to the jumper and as it headed back to the 'gate, John leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes and drifted off into his first undisturbed sleep. Carson looked to Kate, and then across to where John was dozing. He felt relief wash over him. John was going to be just fine.

**The End**


End file.
